Fire and Gasoline
by killmenowporfavor
Summary: Ruby Hale, the much nicer of the Hale twins, meets Edward Mason, the apparent brother-in-law to Doctor Cullen. While trying to find her happiness, Ruby is forced to burn through many different obstacles in her path.
1. Sparks

**_Disclaimer; I don't own any of the original twilight characters. Only Ruby and the plot._**

 ** _Ruby and Rosalie are NOT identical twins. When I imagined Ruby, I pictured her looking similar to Olivia Holt._**

* * *

 _September 1931_

"I heard a new family moved into town. The Cullens, I believe. Have you heard anything about them yet?"

Rosalie shook her head, "I only know of them from the editorial ran in the newspaper about Doctor Cullen."

"Apparently there's three of them. There's Doctor Carlisle Cullen, of course. Then there's his wife, Esme, and her little brother Edward Mason. He's close to our age! I heard he's a looker, too." Ruby's eyes were wide with excitement as she rambled on to her twin.

"And where, exactly, did you hear all this from?" Rose asked with a laugh. The sixteen year olds had their arms linked together as they walked down the street in Rochester.

"Connie told me."

"And you believed her? You know, just as much as I do, that Connie loves nothing more than to spread rumors."

"Scuttlebutt or not, I'd still love to meet them. They seem like they would be nice." The twins walked into their home, Rose taking off her hat and fixing her hair in a nearby mirror. Ruby skipped her way into the kitchen to see their mother, Nancy, cooking lunch and their father, Peter, reading yesterday's newspaper at the dining room table.

"Ruby, dear, where's your sister?"

Rose walked into the kitchen, "Right here, Dad." Rose walked over to hug their father, just as Ruby did with their mother. The twins and parents would never admit it but they liked to play favorites. Rose had plenty in common with their father, things such as being vain and self-absorbed. She took care of the way she appeared to others, always making sure to be proper and set a good example of what a Hale is. Ruby, on the other hand, favored their mother. She didn't care too much about how others saw her and didn't care about other's opinions of her. Rose wanted nothing more in life than to be a house wife to some rich guy, where as Ruby wanted nothing but happiness.

"Momma, I'm going to go over to see the Amy and the kids, if that's okay." Ruby smiled at her mother. They were both fond of the Hethingtons, a family of five children, a house wife, and a hardworking father. The Hales had been lucky and weren't effected by the Great Depression, unlike the Hethingtons. They had been hit hard and were only surviving by a thread. The twins' mother would send money with Ruby when she went to visit them to buy them groceries and help them pay their bills.

"That's fine, honey," Nancy reached on top of the fridge and grabbed a wad of cash out of the bread box. She handed it to Ruby with a smile, "Be back before dark, please. There is a little more cash there than usual. Take the kids to see Tony and get them some candy." Ruby smiled at the thought of going to Tony's toy store. She liked to say she worked there part time even though she, technically, didn't. She would often go after school a few days a week and help him clean and organize or just keep the man company. He tried to pay her often, only to have her refuse. He was hurting for the money more than her. She knew that he was sneaking money into her school bag when she wasn't looking and she would always sneak it back into his coat pocket.

"I bet they'll love that. Bye, Rose! Bye, Dad!" Ruby turned and walked back out of the house. The Hethingtons lived about a mile away from the Hales. The house was small since the family had to downgrade recently. The two oldest slept in one room, the three youngest slept in the other, and the parents slept on the pull out couch. As soon as Ruby began walking up the small walkway to the front door, it burst open. She braced herself as all five kids crashed into her. They all began to talk at once, as usual, and made Ruby's head swirl trying to listen to all of them.

"Kids, give her some space," The four oldest kids ran back inside, leaving three year old Andy at her feet. She hoisted him up to her hip and walked to join Amy Hethington on the front porch, "How are you doing?"

"I'm doing fine. How are you guys doing?" The women walked into the small living room with only Andy since the other kids scattered to their rooms.

"Busy. Jerry has been taking on more hours down at the factory but they cut his pay again. He works close to sixty hours a week and he's making the same as he did back when he only worked thirty-five. Molly, Rebecca, Wesley, and Phillip started school this last Monday. It was a daily fight with Phillip. Andy has been fussy because he hasn't been sleeping much at night."

Ruby held Andy on her lap, "This is Phillip's first year, isn't it? I'm sure he'll get used to it once he starts making friends."

"How have you and Nancy been?" Amy asked. She cared about Ruby and her mother, Nancy, almost as much as she cared about her own family.

"We've been good. I've been busy with school. I'm pretty lucky this year. It doesn't seem like there will be too much homework."

"Junior year is usually pretty easy. Senior year will be even easier." Ruby shrugged her shoulders. Amy was one person she discussed everything with. She had known Amy for over a decade and had adopted the woman as a second mother.

"I'm going to take the kids down to Tony's. That'll give you a little peace and quiet for a little while." Amy nodded and called for the other kids. Ruby got up and walked into the kitchen with Andy. She opened the pantry, cupboards, and fridge, making a mental note on various things the family needed. She walked back into the living room and saw all of the kids getting their shoes on. She made a mental note at the conditions of their shoes, deciding that she would save her allowance up to buy them all new ones.

"Everyone know the rules?" Amy asked with a stern expression.

"Don't leave Ruby's side, listen to her, and don't ask her to buy anything." They all recited together. The six of them were soon out the door and down the street, heading towards Tony's Toys for Tots. Ruby would often take the kids there simply to give Amy a break from all the ruckus. Tony Sutherland was an old man of sixty-four who never had kids after his wife died young. He loved kids and enjoyed seeing how happy the toys made them. He would often sing a tune and dance a jig simply to hear the squealing laughter fill his store.

The group of six walked into the store that was surprisingly empty for a Saturday. The bell above the door chimed and they all stepped in. Tony appeared from behind one of the various displays, a look of confusion on his face.

"Why, do my eyes deceive me," Ruby smiled as the old man threw on his glasses, "Golly, lookie there! I haven't seen you kiddos in ages!"

Molly, the oldest of the kids, laughed as they all rushed forward to hug Tony, "It's only been a few weeks, Mr. Tony."

"And what a long few weeks those have been! Come in, make yourself at home!" He shot Ruby a wink as he pulled the plate of cookies off the counter and held it out to the kids. They all looked to Ruby who nodded her head. That was all the permission they needed as they each grabbed a cookie. Tony held the plate out to Ruby who took one for Andy and one for herself.

"Chocolate chip, my favorite!"

Tony turned towards Rebecca, the second oldest, "Did you just read my mind? Chocolate chip is my favorite, too! Let me show you kids this new toy that just came in." Tony walked behind his counter and bent down. He rummaged through a few boxes before popping back up with a bright blue recorder. He played a short song and took a bow when the kids clapped.

"Can we get one, Ruby? Please, please, please?"

Ruby laughed, "Your mother would kill me if I let you all come home with something so noisy. You can each pick out a book instead, I'm sure Tony has quite the selection." Tony led the kids over to the bookshelf and they all sat down.

"Down, down, down!" Andy wiggled his feet and Ruby set him down, watching him skip over and sit down with his siblings. When she knew Tony had the kids under control, Ruby began to walk around the store, straightening and tidying displays. She surveyed the various toys, knowing that Wesley's eighth birthday was coming up in October along with Rose and her's. Ruby jumped a foot in the air when the bell over the door chimed. She glanced at the man and decided that he seemed around her age. His dark eyes scanned the store before he looked in her direction.

"Welcome to Tony's. If you need any help you can ask me or that old man in the front."

"I heard that!" Tony hollered causing the two teens to laugh.

The boy smiled at her, "Thank you. I'm just trying to familiarize myself with the town. My family and I recently moved here." Ruby's memory of her conversation with Connie flashed through her head causing her to smile.

"Then you must be Edward. Doctor Cullen's brother-in-law."

"That would be me," Edward smiled.

She stuck her hand out, "I'm Ruby Hale. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"She's single. You'll never find a sweet patootie like her, either." Ruby jumped as Tony spoke from behind her. She elbowed him in the ribs and turned back towards her new friend.

"Sorry about him. He's a little loose in the lips."

Edward nodded, laughing lightly, "I must say, a few people have mentioned the Hale twins but I didn't expect to meet one so quickly."

"You'll see me more often than Rosalie. She tends to keep to herself and her girlfriends."

A charming smile appeared on Edward's face, "I can't say I'm displeased by that. I have heard nothing but good things about you, Miss Hale." Ruby blushed lightly and gasped as a force knocked into her knees from behind. Edward caught her and Ruby turned when she heard Andy crying behind her. In the next instant, she scooped him into her arms, attempting to calm him down. She glanced towards the shelf to her left and grabbed the plush bear that resided on it. She held it towards the little boy who snatched it and held it to his chest. His tears stopped and he glanced up at Ruby.

"I've never getting that bear away from you, am I?" Ruby laughed as Andy shook his head and wiggled his legs. She set him back down and he darted off, almost bumping into Edward if he hadn't moved his leg, "My apologies, he hasn't been sleeping through the night so he's been a little fussy."

"No worries. I was unaware there was more Hale children than just Rosalie and yourself."

"Oh, there isn't! These are the Hethingtons. There's Molly, who's twelve, Rebecca is ten, Wesley is seven, Phillip is five, and Andy is three." Ruby pointed out each kid as she said their name.

"Seems like a full house."

Ruby nodded sadly, an image of their house springing up in her head, "It is. I take them out on Saturdays and sometimes during the week. It gives their mother a little time to herself and I love taking care of them. It's weird watching them together. It was always just Rose and I and we got along perfectly. Do you have any other siblings?"

"Just Esme. She became my legal guardian when our parents died a few years back."

Ruby smiled sadly, "I'm sorry to hear that."

"We got books!" Both teens turned and looked at Rebecca as she bounded up to them with a book in her hand.

Ruby nodded towards the girl, "Go give them to Tony so he can get a bill ready," Ruby smiled as the girl skipped her way towards the front counter.

"Well, I would hate to keep your attention from them any longer. I hope to see you around, Miss Hale."

"I come here pretty much everyday after school so I'm sure you'll see plenty of me." The two shared a smile before Edward ducked back out of the door.


	2. Sting

"How was Amy and the kids?"

Ruby glanced up at their mother as they prepared supper, "They were all right. Amy told me they're probably going to have to cut their electric off soon." Nancy grimaced but said nothing. Both women were more humble than Rosalie and Peter. If Nancy and Ruby had it their way, they would do as much as possible to help the other family. Ruby knew that they were doing as much as her father would allow. She had heard her parents fighting about it at night quite often.

"We have a few kerosene lamps in storage. You can take them to them. It's the best we can do." Nancy whispered the last part just as Rose walked into the kitchen. Ruby continued to chop potatoes as she thought about the Hethingtons.

"Is everything okay?"

Ruby wiped the sadness off her face instantly, "Everything is fine, Rose. Oh, remember how I was talking about the new family?"

"Of course, you talked about them for a whole ten minutes." Rose sat down at the dining table, preparing herself for her sister's story.

Ruby turned to face Rose, "I met Edward today. He's super nice. Connie was right, too, he's a real looker."

"I know. I was at Roscoe's with Kim, Daniella, and Tina when he walked out of Tony's. Kim pointed him out to me." Ruby judged her twin's expression and could easily see jealousy on her face.

"You should have came and said hello." Ruby almost rolled her eyes as Rose scoffed before walking off.

Nancy watched the oldest of the kids exit the kitchen, "What was that?"

Ruby shrugged before turning back to the potatoes, "That was Rosalie."

"Why did she react like that? Did she have a bad run in with the boy?"

"Not that I know of. Even so, he was extremely nice and sweet. I can't imagine him having a bad run in with anybody. It's Rose we're talking about. She doesn't like many people. She's probably just jealous about his good looks. You know how she is."

"I never hear you talk about boys this much. This Edward fella must really be something else."

Ruby groaned, "Mom, I met him once. It's not like I'm marrying him."

"Marrying who?" Ruby jumped out of her skin as her father's booming voice filled the room.

Nancy turned around to face her husband, "Ruby has a crush."

"Mother, I do not have a crush."

Peter propped himself up against the fridge, "Who's the boy you like?"

"No one. I don't like-"

"The boy in that new family. Edward Mason." Nancy said to Peter. Ruby let out a small shriek of anger and slammed down the potato and knife.

"Just leave it alone," Ruby bit out as she moved to exit the kitchen. In the next instant, something hard hit the top of her arm, causing her eyes to get instantly watery. She spun around and saw her enraged father holding the paddle they used to discipline the twins when they were younger.

"Apologize to your mother for your tone of voice."

Ruby's bottom lip quivered, "I-I'm sorry, Momma." Nancy looked at Ruby with pity swimming around in her blue eyes.

"Now go to your room. You can fix that attitude while the rest of us eat supper."

"But, Dad, I'm hungry."

"You should have thought about that before you got an attitude with your mother. If you acted more like your sister we wouldn't even be having this problem. Now, go." Ruby spun instantly as her father yelled at her. She crashed right into Rose who had come downstairs to see what all of the commotion was about. Ruby muttered a quick sorry before walking around her twin and dashing out of the room. She took the stairs two at a time and went into her bedroom. She shut the door quietly to prevent her father from getting even angrier. She sniffled as her tears continued to fall silently. Discipline was an extremely rare occurrence in the Hale household since both of the girls were angels. Ruby took a few deep breaths to calm herself down and her crying was reduced to hiccups. She got ready for bed and changed into one of her many nightgowns. She collapsed into bed and curled into a ball under the covers. She knew it would be a little bit before she went to sleep. The sunset was shining in her window, illuminating the entirety of her room.

She had just about dozed off right after dark when her bedroom door opened. The light of a candle illuminated Rose's face as she walked in. The twins didn't say anything as Rosalie walked over to the bed. She set the candle on the nightstand and pulled the ice cold washcloth from the bowl she was carrying. She wrung it out and Ruby moved the covers off of her arm. Both of the them grimaced looking at the bright red area where the paddle had hit her. Rose gently draped the cold rag over her twin's swollen arm.

"I'm sorry."

Ruby glanced up at Rose and removed the now warm rag, "Don't be, Rose. It was my fault."

"I meant I'm sorry about what Dad said. About acting more like me." Ruby waved her hand to dismiss the apology. She didn't blame Rose for their father's blatant favoritism.

"Don't worry about it. The hit hurt more than his words. It was just unexpected. I deserved it, but-"

"But you never get in trouble for the stuff you should. Like when you colored my hair."

Ruby groaned and rolled over, "That was one time, Rose. When are you going to let it go?"

"Never. I'm going to remember it forever and give you a hard time about it. Now scoot over." Ruby groaned and scooted over anyway. It wasn't rare for the twins to sleep in each other's beds, especially when one of them needed comfort. When the world was collapsing around them, they could always rely on each other.

 **AN: Short chapter, I know. They won't all be this short.**


	3. Burgers

In the Sunday newspaper, a column was ran about the local schools cutting the school days back to Tuesday through Thursday due to funding. Ruby had woken up early on Monday anyway, antsy to get out of the house. Her upper arm was now a mixture of dark red and blue and was more tender than she would like to admit. She spent the entirety of Sunday avoiding her father and was happy to escape to Tony's on Monday.

"What are you doing here so early?" Tony asked as soon as the girl walked through the door at nine in the morning.

Ruby shrugged, "They cut school back again and I wanted to get out of the house." She walked towards the counter and Tony's eyes instantly shifted down to her arm.

"What happened to you?" He grabbed her arm lightly and situated his glasses on his face.

"I got an attitude. Dad didn't care for it much."

Tony released the girls arm, patting her shoulder lightly, "I can see that. Well, pull up a stool. Monday mornings are usually slow."

"I figured as much, but I really needed to get out of the house." Ruby slung her sweater over her shoulders, already feeling the coldness of the shop effecting her. The two fell into a comfortable silence, Ruby reading a new book that came out recently and Tony glancing through this weeks toy catalog. Tony would also spend his time bustling after the customers when they came in. Ruby returned back to her book after taking a small break from reading. Within a chapter, she had tuned out the entirety of the store around her, focusing solely on the book in her hands.

After about an hour, she could feel eyes on her, dragging her out of her concentration. Her head whipped up towards where she could feel the stares coming from and saw Edward and Tony standing in the corner of the store. Tony instantly diverted his eyes with a smirk and started to rearrange the shelf that was next to him. Edward, on the other hand, kept on staring. A smile crept onto the teens' faces as he made his way over to the counter.

"Tony was trying to take a bet on how long it would take you to realize I was here."

Ruby smiled while shooting a glare towards the snickering old man, "How long did he say?"

"He said I'd be here until next year."

Ruby laughed, "He likes to think he's funny."

"I'm hilarious and you know it." Tony said as he walked around Ruby towards the till. He patted her upper arm, causing her to cry out in pain. She turned to glare at Tony as he apologized profusely, "I'm sorry, it slipped my mind, doll."

"It's fine, Tony. Just hurt is all." Ruby shrugged her sweater off of her shoulders since she finally noticed the store wasn't as cold. Tony took the sweater from her and hung it on the coat hook next to his.

"What happened?" Ruby turned back around to look at Edward. She could see the anger he was trying to hide grace his features.

Ruby shrugged grimacing slightly, "I got an attitude with my mom last night and Dad didn't like it too much." The memory of last night flashed through her mind. She winced as she remembered the sting of the paddle and the hunger from that night.

Edward tried to shake the girls thoughts out of his head, "Would you like to accompany me out for lunch?" Ruby smiled and opened her mouth to answer.

"Of course she would!" Tony exclaimed, causing her to jolt at the sudden sound.

Ruby glanced at the old man, "Tony, I-"

"Go on, get out of my store. Bring me back a cheeseburger." Tony slapped two dollars into Ruby's hand before shooing her off the stool. The teens walked toward the door, "Have a fun date! No necking!"

Ruby shook her head as they emerged onto the sidewalk, "That geezer is going to drive me to the nut house."

"He seems nice. He cares for you a lot."

Ruby nodded as she followed Edward towards Roscoe's, "He's a father figure to me. Dad doesn't care too much about me, mainly Rose. Mom used to bring me to Tony's a lot when I was younger so I bonded with him more than Dad."

Ruby glanced around the small diner when they walked in, "Ruby, doll, how are you? It's been a hot minute since we've seen you around here. Who's this handsome chap followin' you around?" Their attention was diverted to the extremely chipper waitress, Polly McGenisus. Her black hair bounced on her shoulders as she bounded over to the pair.

"I'm great, Polly. This is Edward Mason," Ruby smiled at her favorite waitress as her and Edward shook hands.

"Oh, you're Doctor Cullen's brother-in-law!"

Edward nodded with a small smile, "Yes, ma'am."

"Call me 'ma'am' again, boy, and I'll knock you upside the head. The name's Polly. Good luck with Ruby, she's a pill."

Ruby laughed as she sat in the booth Polly led them to, "Thanks a lot. Between you and Tony, I'm going to be single forever."

"I'm just teasin'. She really is a peach, but if you hurt her, you'll have Rose to answer to. Even I know better that to get on Rose's bad side."

Ruby laughed, "That's the truth." Polly walked off to another table, leaving the two to look over the menu.

"It seems like a lot of people know you around town." Ruby glanced up from her menu and smiled at Edward. The one thing he knew that she didn't was that she was the topic of conversation between everyone in the diner. Everyone was discussing the Hale girl and her possible new beau.

Ruby shrugged and glanced at her menu again, "A lot of it is just the last name. A lot of people know Ruby Hale, the daughter of Peter Hale and the twin of Rosalie Hale. Most people think I'm as selfish and snobby as Rose so they avoid me like they do her. Not many people truly know me." Polly came back to the table and Ruby quickly ordered a cheeseburger and water. She felt bad when Edward didn't order anything but shook it off.

"Well, I, for one, don't think you're selfish or snobby. Quiet the opposite actually."

"And how did you come to that conclusion?" Ruby fidgeted with her fingers under the table.

"Watching you with the kids yesterday was proof enough. You're more selfless than anyone I've ever met."

Ruby smiled, her eyes never leaving his, "I'm impressed. However, I am curious about one thing."

"And that is?" Edward asked as Ruby thanked Polly for the food she brought out.

Ruby took a sip of her water before returning her attention to Edward, "What did Tony say about me while I was reading earlier?"

A grin broke out on Edward's face, "What makes you think he said anything about you?"

"Because I know Tony and he gossips like a school girl. You probably know more about me than I do myself right now." Ruby happily munched away on her food as he spoke.

"He just told me about you. Your birthday is October thirteenth. You're sixteen. Your favorite color is yellow. Your favorite animal is a tiger. You love Roscoe's cheeseburgers. Your middle name is Harper. You're a junior this year. You prefer your mother over your father. And you favor Andy over the other kids, even though you would never admit it." She watched Edward as he rattled off the things that Tony had told him.

"Well, it sounds like you have me figured out, Mr. Mason. And yet I still know nothing about you except that you're Esme's brother. Why don't you fill me in a little bit?" Edward watched her and could see the playfulness twinkling in her brown eyes.

"What would you like to know?" Ruby chewed on a fry, tapping her chin as if she was thinking.

"When's your birthday?"

"June twentieth. And before you ask, I'm seventeen and I graduated last May." Edward smiled and almost laughed as the questions fizzled out of her thoughts. He hasn't been drawn to any humans since he had been turned other than her. Her mind was an oddity to him and he wanted to figure it out. Most people have a one track mind and only had one strain of thoughts. However, her mind did multiple things at once. While she had her thoughts like normal people, she also had memories constantly running through her head. He was unsure if she truly realized it or not since every so often, the memories would come forward and create a tangled lace with her current thoughts.

"What about Carlisle and Esme? How old are they?"

"Carlisle is twenty-five and Esme is twenty-two." Ruby nodded and continued to eat on her food.

"So what brought your family to Rochester?"

"Carlisle got a job offer. It was better than the one he already had and Esme has always wanted to visit New York." Ruby nodded and the two carried on their conversation. They ended up sitting for almost an hour before they got up to leave. Ruby got Tony's cheese burger and paid for all of the food from her own money, ignoring Edward's offer to pay. The two walked back across the street to the toy store, laughing about something Ruby said as they walked through the door.

"My burger better not be cold!"


	4. Burn

_November 1931_

"Be level with me, does this display look good?" Ruby glanced up at Tony as his voice filled the small shop. She stood up from her spot near the floor and looked at the display in question.

"Maybe move the monkey down a shelf, that'll make it look less cluttered." Ruby watched as Tony moved the stuffed monkey to its new spot.

Tony pointed at her, "This is why I keep you around, kid. Say, where's that boy of yours? He's usually here by now."

Ruby shrugged, "I don't know, maybe he had plans or som-" She was cut off by her own scream when two hands started tickling her sides. Tony's howling laughter filled the shop, as he watched Ruby try to wiggle from Edward's grasp.

"That was a good one! That just made my whole day!" Tony exclaimed as he wiped fake tears from under his eyes. Ruby huffed, Edward's arm still draped around her waist.

"That's not fair. I didn't hear you come in. The bell didn't chime!"

"That's because I taped it this morning so it wouldn't ring. I was hoping Eddie-boy would get the hint." Ruby glared playfully at the two snickering men and turned to walk towards the counter.

Edward followed her over to the counter, knowing she wasn't truly mad, "Sorry about that."

"Don't be," Ruby grabbed her coat and threw it on, "I just have to think of a way to make us even."

"Let me know once you think of something. Where are you running off to?" Edward asked as he held the door open for Ruby.

She pulled her coat a little tighter around herself as she spoke, "Momma is going to make some food for the Hethingtons and I'm going to take it to them."

"Mind if I join you?"

Ruby smiled at Edward and took a step closer to him, "Edward, you know I always adore your company." Edward smiled as her heart rate picked up a little, just like it always did when they were near each other. They made simple conversation the whole way to the Hale household. Ruby swung the door open, pulling Edward along behind her.

"Here you go, dear." Nancy said to Rose as the other two entered the kitchen. Rose was dressed to the nines with her dress and hair done perfectly. The two women looked at Ruby and then at Edward. Rose's face dropped to a scowl and Nancy's smile only grew wider.

"What's he doing here?"

Nancy turned to Rose, swatting her arm roughly, "Rosalie Hale, where are your manners?"

Ruby looked at Rose, shocked about the rudeness in her voice, "He's going to help me take the food to the Hethingtons."

"Does Dad know?"

"Rosalie, that is enough. Shake a leg, you're father is probably hungry." Rose nodded at their mother, eyeing Edward and how put together he was. His navy suit fit him perfectly and didn't clash with the grey tie he had on. His hair was styled to perfection even though he had a cap on moments prior to entering the house. She was unaware how someone could be so perfect but have eyes solely for her sister. Rose adverted her gaze and walked around the two. Ruby jumped a little when Rose slammed the front door a little harder than necessary, "I'm sorry about her. You must be Edward. Ruby has told me a lot about you."

"All good things I hope, Mrs. Hale," Edward said with a charming smile as he shook her hand.

"Please, call me Nancy." She smiled as she watched Edward return to her daughter's side. She could see the obvious attraction between the two and it made her giddy with joy.

"Where was Rose going dressed that nice?"

Nancy turned back to the counter, "Your father forgot his lunch so she's taking it to him."

Ruby laughed before walking over to the dinning table, "The bosses son is going to be there, isn't he?" Nancy didn't give a verbal conformation but the look she gave Ruby said that she was right.

"So, Edward, my daughter hasn't been bothering you too much, I hope."

Edward laughed lightly, pulling out a chair for Ruby, "No, ma'am, not at all." Nancy nodded her head, deciding that she liked the boy and his politeness.

"And she's been using her manners?" Edward smiled as Ruby made a face behind her mother's back.

"Of course."

Nancy turned around, missing the face Ruby had made, "Good. If she ever doesn't, just let me know. Now," She grabbed the picnic basket off of the fridge and put it on the counter, "There's quite a bit of food here. I hope they enjoy everything."

"I'm sure they will," Ruby said sadly. Peter had told Nancy to stop sending money with Ruby when she went to see the Hethingtons. It had been a fight but the women knew that what Peter said was final. Ruby felt bad every time they went since she wasn't able to help them near as much as she used to. She didn't know, however, that Edward would slip Amy some cash every time they went over to their house together.

"Here you are," Nancy said as she set the basket between the two, "Go on and make tracks, those kids are probably hungry." They both stood up, Edward grabbing hold of the basket.

"Thanks, Mom. I'll be back home before dark."

"It was nice to meet you, Mrs. Hale."

Nancy waved the two off, "It was a pleasure to meet you too, Edward. Be careful, kids." The pair exited the house and started on their way towards the Hethington's house. The two were silent as Edward simply observed her. He enjoyed watching her dance around the puddles from last nights rain. Memories played in the back of her mind of her and Rose doing the same thing when they were young children.

She returned to his side when they got to the other family's house. She knocked on the front door before opening it. In the next instant, all five children were running at the two teens. They had taken a liking to Edward just as quickly as Ruby had and they enjoyed seeing him. Ruby glanced up and saw Amy standing in the kitchen doorway. She had lost weight, something that saddened Ruby to no end. She knew Amy often skipped meals so that the kids could eat.

"We brought food," Ruby said, pointing to the basket in Edward's hand. The group moved into the kitchen and Ruby unpacked the food. Amy quickly dished out some for the kids before putting the other containers in the fridge.

"What's this?" Amy asked, holding up one of the containers that had a soup looking substance in it.

Ruby walked over to Amy, "That's a special beef stew Mom made for you. It has a lot of protein in it to keep you healthy. That is for you and you only." Amy smiled, her eyes getting watery over how much Ruby and Nancy cared for her and the kids.

That evening, it was almost dark by the time Ruby got home. Her and Edward had spent most of the day keeping the Hethington kids entertained before he treated her to supper at Roscoe's. Peter was home by the time Ruby returned. She was a little nervous when she walked into the kitchen to see both of her parents waiting for her.

"You missed supper." Ruby's nerves shot through the roof at her dad's tone of voice.

"I ate at Roscoe's.

"Who with?"

Ruby glanced between her parents, "Edward took me to eat there." She could see her father get even more frustrated.

"You have been spending too much time with that boy. And if you are going to be dating this boy, I need to meet him."

Ruby shrugged, "We aren't dating. We're just friends."

Peter pinched the bridge of his nose, "Ruby, you spend almost every day with that boy. Rose said she saw you two necking in the park the other day."

Ruby's eyes blew wide, "That's a lie!"

"Don't call your sister a liar! When's the last time you spent time with Rose? Or Connie?"

Ruby's voice rose to match her father's, "I went dress shopping with Rose yesterday and I saw Connie last week! Connie's always busy with work!"

Peter stood from his chair abruptly, "Don't you dare raise your voice at me. I forbid you from ever seeing that boy again! He is nothing but trouble."

"You don't even know him!"

Peter's hand shot out, pointing to the stairs, "Go to your room. Now! And if I hear one word of you being near that boy again, you'll regret it." Ruby's tears started to roll down her face as she stormed to her room. Rose's door opened just as Ruby passed it.

"Ruby, are you okay?"

Ruby spun around, her anger rising quickly, "Like you care. Why would you lie to Dad like that? You're just jealous all the time, you need to get over yourself." After leaving her sister speechless, she walked into her room. She slammed the door and let out a small shriek at the sight of a girl at her bedroom window. Connie's face instantly fell at the sight of her best friend's tear stained face. Ruby walked over to the window and unlocked it, sliding it open as silently as possible. She climbed out onto the roof outside of her window. Connie lived next door and the roof outside of their bedroom windows had a small enough gap for them to jump from one side to the other. They had spent many nights talking while sitting outside one or the other's windows.

"What happened? Why are you crying? Do I need to slug Edward?" Connie rushed out as she sat next to Ruby on the roof.

Ruby shook her head, "Dad said I couldn't see Edward anymore. Rose told him that she saw us necking."

Connie scoffed, "That really burns me up. She's just jealous that she doesn't have someone to go steady with."

"We aren't even together, that's the thing. And now I can't even see him again."

Connie laughed quietly, "Says who? You're almost old enough to move out and start doing whatever you want." Ruby rolled her eyes at her best friend's attempt to make her feel better. Even though Ruby was, indeed, almost old enough to move out, the economy was so poor she wouldn't be able to support herself, "Hey, Ruby, look over there." Ruby looked in the direction Connie was pointing. The now darkened sky lit up a deep orange color and clouded over with smoke. The two girls watched as smoke wafted it's way into the sky.

Ruby instantly sprung up as realization hit her, "That's near the Hethington's house." She all but dove back into her window and out her bedroom door. She raced down the stairs and to the front door, only to be stopped by her father.

"Where do you think you're going? You're in tr-"

Ruby pivoted, looking at her mother for help, "There's a fire near the Hethington's house. I need to go make sure they're okay."

"I'll be damned if you're leaving this house after dark." Ruby ignored her father after Nancy nodded her permission to leave. Ruby yanked the door open and took off down the street. She ran as fast as she could, earning looks from pretty much everyone. As she got closer and closer to the fire, her heart dropped to her stomach and her hand flew to her mouth to suppress the scream.


	5. Peace

December 1931

The next few weeks were quiet at Tony's toy store. Ruby hadn't gone into the shop since the fire killed Amy along with Molly, Rebecca, and Andy. Leaving the house was a rare occurrence for her and when she did leave, she just went to help Jerry Hethington out with Wesley and Phillip.

Edward and her hadn't seen each other since the funeral. He had been a pallbearer and had also decided to stand by Ruby's side. He stayed right next to her, an arm draped over her shoulders as she cried the entire time. He didn't miss her father's thoughts over his decision to forbid them from seeing each other. The man saw how much Edward seemed to truly care for Ruby.

Nancy had been in a few times a week, simply to let the guys know that Ruby was, in fact, okay. By the second week in December, Tony had practically begged Edward to go see Ruby and try to bring her back to her old self. The walk to Ruby's house felt never ending and he was shocked when an unknown man answered the door.

"Can I help you, chap?" The man asked with an arrogant smile.

Edward nodded, "I'm here to see Ruby," Nancy came to the door, smiling widely at Edward, "Mrs. Hale, always lovely to see you."

"I was wondering how long it was going to take you to come around to see her. Come in, come in. This is Royce King, Rosalie's new beau."

Edward shook Royce's hand, trying to ignore his thoughts, "Edward Mason, pleasure to meet you."

"You, too, pal. You ready, doll?" Rose appeared from the stairs, eyeing Edward before walking out with Royce. Nancy shut the door behind the young couple and breathed a sigh of relief.

"That boy annoys me to no end. His pockets are deep but his manners are lacking. Come on into the living room, Ruby is upstairs bathing, I'm sure she'll be down soon." Nancy led him into the living room where Peter was reading yesterday's paper.

"Mr. Mason, how are you on this fine Saturday?"

Edward shook the man's hand, "I'm doing good, just came to check in on Ruby. Tony's been real worried about her." Edward had been just as worried, more so than he'd admit. He was finally relaxing now that he could hear her steady heartbeat, proving that she was okay.

"It's just hard for her. She's known Amy for, gosh, close to twelve years. Amy was a real good friend of mine. And the kids meant more to Ruby than anything else in this world. She's learning how to function without all of those kids. Helping Jerry with Wesley and Phillip has helped a lot but she still struggles with it. I shouldn't have let her leave that night. I think what she saw has scarred her. I let her take off and what she saw wasn't pretty. Her burns are finally healing up now. Getting the blisters to go away was a battle. Your brother-in-law has taken amazing care of her." Edward nodded, grimacing slightly at the mention of Ruby's burns. Carlisle had told him about Ruby's burns as soon as he got back from hunting that night. He almost rushed to see Ruby then but chose against it.

"Mom?" Nancy, Peter, and Edward all turned to look at Ruby as she rounded the corner into the living room. She gasped when she saw Edward, pulling her light blue floral robe to cover her nightgown. Her face reddened instantly, "Mom, can you come help me bandage my hand, please?" Nancy nodded and got up, trailing after her daughter to her room.

"She cares about you a lot, you know. The fire has nothing to do with why she hasn't been to Tony's." Edward looked at Peter and watched him set down the newspaper, "I told her she wasn't allowed to see you again. I was worried about how she was being treated and Rose came forward and lied to me about seeing you two necking. But after seeing the way you treated her at the funeral showed me that I never had anything to worry about. She's wanted to go to Tony's but she knew you would be there waiting on her. Every time Nancy went up there she would come back and tell me you asked about Ruby. You just better treat her well."

Edward smiled softly at the man, "I plan on it. The store has been quiet without her around."

"Yeah, that place is like her second home." The two men were quiet while they were waiting on the girls. Edward listened intently to her thoughts, his eyebrows furrowed as pain coursed through her lower abdomen. She had been feeling the pain for as long as they've known each other. It was normally just a dull ache with the occasional sting. She had yet to mention it to anyone and she was so used to the pain now that she only felt it when it was more than the usual ache. He was concerned about it but knew that he couldn't talk to her about it until she mentioned it.

He heard their footsteps as they came back down the steps. Edward smiled lightly as he heard Ruby's heart start to speed up before she rounded the corner into the living room, now dressed in normal clothes with her left hand wrapped.

"Hey, Edward," she greeted quietly while walking over to stand near the couch, "What are you doing here?"

Ruby jumped when her dad spoke, "He's here to take you to Tony's. Or to the park."

"But, Dad, you said-"

"I know what I said and I take it back. Now, get out of my house. Just keep her safe and have her home before dark, son."

Edward stood up and approached Ruby, "I will, sir. She'll be safe with me." Ruby walked over and hugged her father, whispering her thanks. She smiled at Edward and grabbed his hand, yanking him towards the front door. She stopped long enough to grab her navy jacket before they left the house.

"Can we go to Tony's?"

He smiled at her, more than happy to be in her presence again, "Of course. He'd love to see you. He's missed you terribly."

"I've missed him, too. I just haven't left the house much since everything happened. Doctor Cullen said that was probably best so my burn wouldn't get infected." She wrapped her good hand gently around the crook of his elbow as they walked through the crowded street.

"Well, I've very glad you're out with me today. Tony hasn't been the only one missing you," He watched as a light blush dusted over her cheeks and she ducked her head a little bit.

"I'm sorry. My father and I got into a fight and he had forbidden me to see you. While I didn't agree with him, I do respect him. And for the record, I missed you, too. I only really talked to Connie."

"What about Rosalie?"

Ruby shook her head, "Her jealousy has gotten a little too much for me to bare. I haven't spent much time with her since she lied to Dad about us. That and she's been focusing on Royce lately."

"Yes, I met him right before they left your house today. He seems like,uh-"

"Like a creep?" Ruby finished, glancing up at him with a quirk of her eyebrow.

"That's one way to put it. I'm assuming you don't like him."

Ruby shook her head quickly, "I get a bad feeling from him. I avoid him when he's at our house. Mom doesn't like him either." Ruby caught sight of Rose and Royce across the street. She waved slightly at her twin, sharing a small smile with her. Royce looked over, an unsettling grin working it's way onto his face. Ruby instantly diverted her attention as he made her feel uneasy. Edward glared at the man before opening the door to Tony's for Ruby.

"Welcome to the toy-" Tony cut himself off when he saw who had walked in. He quickly darted across the store and enveloped Ruby in a bone crushing hug.

"Can't breath," Ruby choked out before Tony released her.

"It's so good to see you, doll."

"It's good to finally be back. I'm glad to see that you haven't destroyed the place since I've been gone."

"Well, I have Edward and your mother to thank for that. I'm glad your back, Edward hasn't shut up about you."

"Alright, Tony, didn't you have something to show Ruby?" Edward asked, changing the direction of the conversation. Tony's eyes lit up and he proceeded to drag Ruby around the store, showing her the various new toys that came in over the past few weeks. Edward situated himself at the counter and listened to their casual conversation as Tony dragged her around the store. For the first time in weeks, everything finally felt normal again.


	6. Piano

**_A/N: I know that this book seems to be moving a little fast, that's because it is! Edward and Ruby's relationship while she's human is only a fraction of the whole story. Leave a review and tell me what you think!_**

 _December 1931_

"Don't let me scare you," Edward said as he approached Ruby. She looked up from the book she was reading, greeting him with a grin.

"You are the sneakiest person I've ever met," she quipped as she set her book down onto the counter. She was almost used to him constantly sneaking up and spooking her out of her thoughts. Edward pulled a stool over and sat down next to her.

"So, Esme wants me to bring you over to meet her today."

Ruby's eyes snapped to meet his, "She does?"

He nodded, "Carlisle and I have talked about you so much that she's wanting to meet you. If you want, that is."

"Yeah, yeah, of course! I'd love to meet her. You and Doctor Cullen are so nice and I assume she is the same."

"She's much nicer than we are. You'll love her and she already loves you."

She nodded, "When is she expecting us?"

"Anytime. Whenever you're ready."

Ruby jumped off her stool, "Tony, Edward and I are leaving! We'll see you tomorrow!"

"Be safe," Tony called out from the back of the store. The teens walked outside and Ruby placed her hand on Edward's elbow.

"I don't even know where you live."

"Just past your house on the outskirts of town." Ruby nodded and allowed Edward to lead her through the streets. They, indeed, passed the street her house was on and continued the small trek towards the Cullen residence. After a short walk down a dirt road, Ruby finally saw the house. It was about the same size as hers and just as nice.

She didn't miss it whenever Edward tensed slightly as they walked into the front door. He glanced at her slightly before forcing himself to relax. While Esme had been a vampire for a decade but she hadn't had too much human contact. He watched her thoughts carefully incase her thirst tried to take over.

"Your home is incredible," Ruby complimented, pulling Edward away from Esme's thoughts.

He led her towards the living room, "It's all thanks to Esme. She designs everything. Esme," Ruby stepped around Edward and saw Esme sitting on the loveseat looking up at the two, "This is Ruby Hale. Ruby, this is Esme." Esme closed the book that was in her hands and set it down gently on the coffee table.

"Edward and Carlisle have both spoken so fondly of you, dear. It's very nice to finally meet you." Esme stepped forward to hug Ruby, slightly quicker than an average human.

"Slow down a little," Edward muttered quietly so only Esme heard him. He watched Ruby's thoughts to make sure she didn't catch on to Esme's speed.

"It's nice to meet you as well, Mrs. Cullen. Your house is very lovely."

"Oh, call me Esme, dear. I must say, you are much prettier than Edward let on." Ruby glanced up at him with a small smile as blush dusted her cheeks, catching Esme's attention. She glanced towards the ground just in time to miss Edward's eyes snap to Esme's now black ones. Edward growled lowly, snapping Esme out of her bloodlust, "I need to finish the dishes before Carlisle arrives. Make yourself at home, Ruby." She walked out without a second to spare and into the kitchen. Edward listened intently as Esme exited out the back door and left to the woods.

"She doesn't like me, does she?" Edward's eyes found her's and the sadness floating around them almost broke him.

"How could anyone not like you? Come on." He grabbed her elbow and led her to another small portion of the living room that was blocked by the staircase. She froze as she stared at the grand piano in front of her, "You said you wanted me to teach you how to play, right?" She merely nodded and he pulled her over to the bench. They both sat down and she stared down at the keys.

"Dad made Rose and I take lessons when we were kids but she didn't like it so he pulled us both out of the class."

"So you know a little bit, then," He asked as he flipped open the music book that was sitting on the piano. She glanced up at the sheet music and laughed lightly.

"I could hardly play with two hands without messing up a note. There's no way I'll be able to keep up with that." He smiled at her before beginning the piece of music. She watched his fingers dance across the keys, her memories of the piano lessons coming back to her. He enjoyed watching the tangled lace of her thoughts and memories.

"How much do you remember?" He asked once he got finished playing the short piece. They spent the next hour at the piano with him teaching her various notes and scales. Carlisle had arrived after some time and Esme got back soon after. They both sat in the kitchen and enjoyed listening to the teens' laughter every time Ruby missed a note or forgot the tune of the easy music they were playing.

"Maybe I'll get better eventually," Ruby said as she calmed down after laughing at how horribly she flubbed a note.

"You're already getting the hang of it."

Ruby shrugged, "It's probably because my hands are so small." She held her hands up in front of her, spreading her fingers to prove a point. The burn scar on her left hand drew her attention and dampened her mood. Edward gently put his arm over her shoulder, "I miss them so much," she whispered as she ran a finger over the scar.

"I know," he whispered as she leaned closer to him. He hated how much she was hurting but he knew there wasn't anything he could truly do to help her. She had to grieve in her own way.

"Sometimes I wonder how it would be if I would have been able to save them. Or what if I hadn't made it back out." The memory flashed through her head of when she ran into the burning house. She could hear them; the screams of Amy and the kids. When she had opened the front door and ran in, she knew she was going to be too late but she had to at least _try_. The fire was worse in the kitchen and had spread mostly to the girls bedroom. She had thrown open the door to their bedroom and the fire flew towards her. Her left hand came up instantly to block herself which resulted in the nasty burn. Jerry had managed to grab ahold of her and yank her out of the house before she entered the bedroom. Just as he tugged her away, she saw the four lifeless bodies of Amy, Molly, Rebecca, and Andy.

"Ruby," Her eyes focused back in from the memory at the sound of Edward's voice and she saw him and Carlisle both standing by her and Esme standing near the door of the kitchen.

"I'm-I'm sorry."

"Do you get flashbacks often?" Carlisle asked gently as he moved to stand beside Esme.

"Not really. Only a few times since then," Carlisle nodded.

"Edward, why don't you take Ruby to get something to eat and take her home. It'll be dark soon." Edward nodded and helped Ruby up from the piano bench.

"It was nice to meet you, Mrs Cullen, and it was nice to see you again, Doctor Cullen."

"You're welcome here anytime, dear." Esme chirped, trying to make up for her reaction earlier. Edward led Ruby to the front door and helped her put on her jacket. He led her outside and down the porch, only for her to stop and grab her lower abdomen halfway down the stairs. She groaned a little in pain and Edward laid a supporting hand on her back.

"What's wrong?" He asked, knowing fully that it was her abdominal ache getting worse.

The pain passed quickly, resorting back to the dull ache, "Nothing, I'm fine. Let's make tracks, I'm starving." She pulled him along the path back towards town, seemingly unfazed by her small bout of pain. He could tell by her thoughts that she didn't want to talk about it so he let the conversation go for now.

"It's been a few days since I've seen you two in here," Polly greeted as soon as they walked in the door to the diner. She pointed the two to a booth on the far end of the diner, the same one she usually put the two at. She had gotten so accustom to their order, water and a cheeseburger for Ruby and nothing for Edward, so she didn't even bother handing them a menu.

"I really don't think Esme likes me."

Edward shook his head, "I promise you that she does. What's not to like about you?"

"My tiny hands that don't play piano very good," She chirped, holding her hands up and wiggling her fingers.

"Like I said, you did exceptionally well. I was surprised how quickly you remembered your lessons."

Ruby shrugged, "I don't forget things easily, you know that."

He nodded, "I actually had a question for you," he paused when Polly brought out Ruby's burger. He second guessed himself and was going to back out until he saw Ruby look at him expectingly.

"Your question?"

"I was wondering if you would go steady with me." She watched him, looking for any sign that he was joking with her.

"You're serious."

He gave her a soft smile, "I've never been more serious about anything in my entire life."

A grin took over her face, "Of course I'll go steady with you. I would love nothing more. Tony didn't pay you to do this, did he?"

"No, but he's been nagging me about it since we met."

Ruby laughed, "We better be careful, then, or he'll be planning our wedding."


	7. Memories

April 1932

"Mom, I'm heading over to Edward's!"

"Come get this apple pie and take it to them!" Nancy called from the kitchen. Ruby changed her path and walked into the kitchen to see her mother putting the pie into the pie carrier. Her mother was the most excited when her and Edward were finally official, "Here you go, dear. Be home before dark, please."

"Yes, ma'am," Ruby chirped before walking out of the house with the pie carrier. She walked quickly down the street, eager to see Edward, Esme, and Carlisle. Her and Edward had spent a great deal of time there since he was still teaching her how to play piano. The Cullens became accustomed to her showing up at ten almost everyday. Edward used to pick her up and they would walk back together but she assured him, multiple times, that she could handle it her own self.

"It's good to see you, Ruby," Esme greeted as Ruby got to the bottom of the porch.

"It's good to see you, too, Es-" Ruby cut herself off with a short scream when she lost her footing on the stairs. She collapsed against the stairs, feeling her skin get cut by the wood. In the next instant, she saw a flash as Esme was thrown into the yard and Edward stood protectively in front of Ruby. She watched as Esme's lips bared over her teeth and she snarled, her black eyes never leaving Ruby's. Ruby glanced up at Edward as he made a sound more terrifying than Esme's.

"Esme," Carlisle said from behind Ruby, causing her to jolt a little toward Edward. She watched as Carlisle approached Esme and her eyes seemed to snap back into focus. She took in the scene before her; Ruby cowering on the stairs and Edward standing in front of her protectively all the while staring daggers at Esme. She flashed off and Carlisle glanced at Edward before chasing after her.

Edward turned to look at Ruby, relieved she wasn't scared of him, "Come on. Let's get you cleaned up." She stood up shakily, ignoring Edward's hand and the throbbing pain in her abdomen.

"I think I deserve an explanation of what just happened."

"I'll explain everything." She nodded, proud that she had gotten her way so easily. He wrapped a hand around her waist like normal and led her to the kitchen. He grabbed her on either side of her ribs and lifted her to sit on the counter. He zipped off and came back in a few seconds later with some band aids and a wet rag. She let him tend to what few scrapes she had, wiping off the blood before putting on a band aid. Her shin was the bloodiest and she watched his eyes darken slightly while cleaning off the blood.

"What are you?" She demanded after snatching the rag from him.

"You have to promise that you won't tell anyone."

She shook her head, "Of course I won't."

"Believe me when I say that I would never hurt you. Out of everything in this world, you mean the most to me."

"Just tell me, Edward. I'm a big girl, I can handle it."

He diverted his eyes from her and leaned against the cabinet opposite of her, "We're vampires." He wanted to give her space to make sure that she didn't feel trapped. He wanted her to know that if she, God forbid, wanted to leave and never look back, he wouldn't stop her.

"Seriously?" His attention instantly snapped back to her and her thoughts as he heard the hurt in her voice.

"I know it's hard to believe-"

She shook her head, sliding off the counter and back to her feet, "No, I believe it. It makes sense. I fell and cut myself and Esme snapped. It was the blood. I just don't understand why you waiting so long to tell me."

"I couldn't tell you before, sweetheart, it's against our laws. You knowing puts you in danger."

"I don't care, you still should have told me. That's not a secret you hold out on your girlfriend."

"I was going to tell you-"

"When? When something like this happened?" He stayed silent, knowing he deserved her anger, "That's not a secret you only divulge after your sister tries to kill me. That's something you should have told me before I fell in love with you. It wouldn't have changed anything. This," She walked over and stood inches in front of him and gestured between the two of them, "wouldn't be any different if you would have just told me. I love you and that's not going to change just because you're a vampire. I fell for your charm, dear, not your humanity."

"I could kill you so easily, Ruby. Just a flick of a hand or a hug that's just a little too tight and you'd be dead."

Ruby shrugged, wrapping her arms around his waist, "You wouldn't kill me. If that was your plan, you would have done it by now. I trust you completely." He wrapped an arm around the back of her neck, leaning down to capture her lips with his. He ran his other hand through her hair and rubbed his thumb over her cheek lightly.

"You're something else, you know that? I tell you that I'm a vampire and I could kill you with my pinky finger and you aren't even scared."

"I know you won't hurt me. So, what is being a vampire all about? I assume you don't need to eat. That would explain why you've never eaten with me at Roscoe's."

He shook his head, "We don't eat or sleep."

"Is Esme actually your sister?"

"No, Carlisle changed me in 1918 and he changed her in 1921."

"So you're older than seventeen."

"Vampires don't age. I'm physically seventeen," Ruby's fantasies of growing old with Edward instantly shifted through her head. Instead of them sitting grey haired on a porch in their eighties, it was only Ruby who had aged, "Don't think like that, sweetheart," She pulled away from where she was leaning against his chest and looked up at him. She furrowed her brows in confusion, "I can read minds."

Realization dawned on her, "So you've been able to read my mind the entire time we've known each other?" He nodded and her face instantly reddened.

"It's what drew me to you in the first place. Your mind works differently than others. Most people just have their conscious thoughts but you also have your memories constantly playing."

"I do?"

He nodded, "When you actively think of a memory, it intertwines with your thoughts. As soon as you stop thinking about the memory, it separates again."

She shrugged, "Maybe that's why I get so many headaches."

"Could be," He said with a smile. Ever since he met her he had feared the day he would have to tell her the truth.

"Are you okay, Ruby?" She pivoted around and looked at Carlisle when he entered the kitchen.

She nodded quickly, "I'm fine. Esme isn't mad at me, is she?"

"No, of course not, dear. She's more upset with herself than anything."

"She shouldn't be. I'm not mad or anything. I understand it was an acci-" She cut herself off and Carlisle looked at her in confusion. Edward could sense the pain through her thought and caught her just as she collapsed. She groaned in pain and wrapped her arms around her midsection. He held her to him as the pain took its course. When it finally let up, he helped her stand and supported her weight. She leaned heavily against his side since she was exhausted from the pain.

"Does that happen often?"

Ruby nodded at Carlisle, "It's gotten worse over time. It gets bad like that about once a day. It usually happened in the morning or at night."

"When did the pain start?"

"June of last year. It's normally just a dull ache but it gets worse sometimes."

"Have you told your parents? Have they not taken you to a doctor?"

Ruby waved her hand, "I didn't want to stress them. I got used to the pain and it's pretty normal now."

"Well, I can assure you, that extended pain like that isn't normal. I can run a few tests and we can maybe figure out the cause of the pain."

Ruby shook her head quickly, "I don't want to stress out my parents with this."

"We don't have to tell them. I know it would help you feel better and it would ease Edward's mind if we got down to the bottom of this."

"Okay," Ruby agreed, grabbing onto Edward's hand tightly, "But I have to warn you, I hate needles."


	8. Momentous

**A/N: I'm going to edit this into the first chapter as an author's note, but I'm going to go ahead and post it here for those of you who are already to this point. Rosalie and Ruby are NOT identical twins. If I had to pick any face claim for Ruby, it would be Olivia Holt.**

 **Also, the reason that this is getting updated slower is because I am writing it slower. So many people have liked this book so far and I _really_ ****don't want to rip your hearts out with the plot.**

* * *

May 1932

"Carlisle, there's no way-"

"You and I both know that it is possible. I looked into her family history and her grandmother and great-grandmother both had it. The only difference is they seemed to get it later on in life. Ruby's has effected her rather early." Carlisle said as he and Edward both sat in his office. Edward was pacing, trying to think of any other idea.

"And you're sure?"

Carlisle shrugged, "There's no way to be one hundred percent sure without surgery. Even then, it's already starting to effect her energy and her appetite. It's most likely already spread to her major organs and lymph nodes."

"What can we do?"

"We need to talk to her about it. We can't hold it from her any longer. She needs to know," Carlisle listened as Esme chatted idly to Ruby in the kitchen, "Edward, you have to be prepared. I know you love her, son, but-"

"No," He cut his father figure off, already seeing where his mind was going, "Carlisle, I can't lose her." He said quietly, finally admitting to himself the severity of the situation.

"I know. I know how attached to each other you have both become. Depending on the severity, she may only have a few years left. Only time will tell."

"I can't lose her."

Carlisle placed a hand on Edward's shoulder, "Then discuss her _options_ with her. I overheard her ask you about it last week and you denied her pretty harshly."

"I don't want to take the rest of her life from her."

"That's changed now, son. The pain has been happening for almost a year which means she's had it for awhile. She probably won't make it to the age of twenty." Edward leaned over and placed his elbows on his knees.

"And there's no treatment options?"

Carlisle shook his head, "Not that work. We just have to let it take its course and make sure that she's comfortable as time goes on."

"I need to tell her. I can't keep this from her any longer." Edward walked out of the room and toward the kitchen. He could already hear the laughter coming from Esme and Ruby. As soon as he walked in, both of the women's attention turned to him. Esme patted his shoulder and walked out, leaving him and Ruby alone.

"What's wrong, Edward?" She slid off of the stool she was sitting on, stumbling lightly when her feet hit the floor.

Edward caught her arm and steadied her, "Let's go on a walk. Get a little bit of fresh air." She nodded and let him lead her out to the back porch. He scooped her up bridal style and carried her to a small pond not too far from the house that they visited frequently. He set her down on the grassy bank of the water.

"Carlisle figured out what's wrong, didn't he?" Ruby sat down in the soft grass, the fatigue from the day getting to her.

Edward nodded sadly, "He did." He sat down behind her, his legs on either side and his arms wrapped loosely around her.

"It's bad, isn't it?"

He took a deep breath before pulling her to lay against his chest, "He thinks it's cancer."

"Cancer?" Ruby asked, peering up at him.

"He isn't one hundred percent certain. He would have to do surgery and remove the tumor to try to figure out if it's cancer or not. He's pretty sure it is."

Ruby nodded, "I trust his judgement. My grandma and great grandma both died from it. It took a few years, but," She stopped herself mid sentence and sat up. She pivoted to face Edward with tears in her eyes, "That means I only have a few years until-"

"Don't think like that, doll," He rubbed a hand down the side of her face, wiping away her tears, "There's other options. We were discussing you turning the other day."

"You said you wouldn't ever turn me."

Edward smiled sadly, "The circumstances have changed now. Call me selfish, but I don't ever want to lose you, Ruby Hale."

"And you won't," she relaxed once again and leaned back against him, "January."

"January?"

"That's when you should turn me," She tilted her head to glance up at him, "If you're ready to deal with me for eternity that is."

He smiled genuinely, "I would love nothing more. Why January?"

She shrugged, turning back to look at the water, "It's a sign of the new year, new beginnings. And it gives me one more Christmas to spend with my family."

"I don't want you to feel like I'm forcing you to become one of us."

She shook her head lightly, "You aren't forcing me to turn. I'd rather live an eternity with you than die young. I want to watch the world evolve and I can't do that from the grave. I want to be by your side as long as possible."

"I can't wait to show you how beautiful the world is." They relaxed together by the water as daydreams took over Ruby's mind. Edward watched fondly as she imagined what it would be like to be equal with him; to run as fast as him; to be as fearless as him.

"Do you think I'll have a gift?"

"Possibly. Maybe something to do with memories since your mind works the way it does. Let's go on home before it gets too cold for you." He helped her stand up before lifting her into his arms. He ran them back to the house and set her down on the back porch.

"Have you ever ran into tree?" She asked, causing him to laugh as they both walked into the kitchen. Carlisle and Esme both entered the kitchen at the same time they did.

"I'll change her in January."

"And if we could keep the cancer just between us, that would be best. I don't want my family to find out." Ruby said as Edward wrapped his arm over her shoulders.

"Very well, Ruby. It shouldn't get too bad before then. If the pain gets worse, I'll give you some medicine for it."

"Thank you, Carlisle. For everything. You too, Esme."

Esme hugged Ruby, "It's nothing, dear. You're a part of this family now."

"Well, I should make tracks. We're having Jerry, Wesley, and Phillip over for supper." She said a quick bye to Carlisle and Esme as her and Edward walked out the front door.

Edward laid a hand on her back, "I'll walk you."

Ruby shook her head and looked at his black eyes, "I'll be fine. You need to go hunt anyway." He knew she was right, he could feel the itch in his throat from her being around.

"I'll see you at Tony's tomorrow." They kissed each other goodbye and Ruby began the trek home. It was growing dark and she knew she was going to be a little later than usual getting home. Her mind raced at the revelation of her cancer and the fact that in eight months, she would be a vampire.

"Hey, Ruby," She pivoted and saw Royce standing in an alley to her right.

She approached him cautiously, "Royce? What are you doing in an alley?"

"Where are you headed?" He took a couple steps closer to her and toward her left.

She moved away from him a little, "Home."

His laugh filled the small alley, making her queasy, "Of course, my mistake. You're just so gorgeous." He moved closer to her, backing her up against the building.

She could finally smell the alcohol on his breath, "Beat it, Royce. You're canned."

"Listen, dollface, I don't have any beef with your daddy but how could he let you walk home alone so late. Especially when there's so many bad guys lurking around." His hand found her hip and clenched the fabric of her dress. She froze and tried to shove him away from her.

"Lay off or I'm tellin' Rose." She began to get more frantic as his hand descended and wrapped around toward her butt.

He laughed once more and grabbed her wrists so she couldn't hit him, "You think she would believe you? This will be fun, I can tell you're a feisty one." His head ducked down toward her neck, but he was ripped off of her. She opened her eyes and saw Edward standing in front of her. She could make out Royce laying on the ground against the opposite wall. His eyes were closed and she instantly assumed he was dead.

"He's alive, just unconscious. I should kill him-"

Ruby grabbed his arm, "No, you shouldn't. Rose would be devastated. Can we just go, please?" He turned towards her as she pleaded with him. He felt his resolve break and he wrapped an arm around her, leading her from the alley.

"I'm walking you from now on. Especially when it's late." Ruby nodded and tucked herself further into his side for the trip home.


End file.
